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South Dakota Lawmaker Compares Planned Parenthood To ISIS

A state House committee in South Dakota recently voted 10-2 to advance House Bill 1230, which would “prohibit the beheading of certain living unborn children.”

The bill is aimed at banning dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedures, which happen in the second trimester, notes WebMD.com.

However, there is only one abortion clinic in the state, Planned Parenthood in Sioux Falls, and it doesn't perform D&E abortions.

A spokesperson for South Dakota’s Planned Parenthood clinic told South Dakota Public Broadcasting that the clinic only performs abortions for women within their 1st trimester, which would not include D&E.

State Rep. Isaac Latterell (R) recently invoked the "beheading" part of House Bill 1230 to compare Planned Parenthood to the Middle East terrorist group ISIS.

Latterell's blog post was originally entitled “Planned Parenthood worse than ISIS and lying about it,” but has since been changed to "Planned Parenthood is beheading children and lying about it," noted Talking Points Memo.

Latterell wrote on his blog:

"Planned Parenthood abortionists in Sioux Falls are similarly beheading unborn children during dismemberment abortions. This method has been described by the Supreme Court in Gonzales v. Carhart as a procedure that is: 'laden with the power to devalue human life,' and is as brutal, if not more so, than Intact Dilation and Extraction (D&X or partial birth) abortions.”

"Most people are unaware that this is happening, because Planned Parenthood of Sioux Falls denies that they behead or otherwise dismember unborn children."

Lattrell then cited a report by RH Reality Check, “The clinic does not provide surgical abortions in which a D and E is required. The clinic told RH Reality Check that all patients who need D and E services are referred to clinics in other states. Technically, hospitals can perform such procedures in the state, but none of the hospitals in the state do.”

Lattrell added:

"But South Dakota’s Department of Health’s website shows at least 7 such extreme and dangerous abortions have been done since 2008. There are probably many more where the method used was unstated or stated incorrectly. Considering Planned Parenthood is the only clinic that does abortions, it is clear that they are lying either to the media or to the department of health."

While Lattrell failed to prove the abortions were performed by Planned Parenthood, he wrote:

"No state, no religion, and no organization should ever be allowed to use this unspeakably horrifying method. While we rightly take the speck out of our neighbor’s eye by holding ISIS accountable, let us be sure to take the plank out of our own eye by holding Planned Parenthood accountable."

In 2012, Lattrell said in a campaign video (below) that he believed people should, "Act with love toward our neighbors."